feralpilot0 said:I mean, what were you even looking at? That sludge they call dialogue? Those half-buttoned shirts, the attitude, those overly dramatic scenes—you actually think that stuff works? That movie is such a massive letdown, it’s practically painful.
Look, I'll say it again: the way they wrote the dad felt totally forced. It was way too much; they could've dialed it back a notch.
But then again, if you really sit back and look at it, the whole thing gains some weight because of the circumstances they're stuck in—just trying to survive, those tense family dynamics, the general mindset and all that junk...
Justin Richardson7 said:Well, why don't you give us some credit then! Show me this "transparency" in the symbolism and metaphors of Mary
First off, just the fact that anyone even thought to bring up that weird, solitary little fish, Mary, is a total home run. And then to use her for the film title 🙏
I see her—Mary—as being completely tied to the personality of young Julia🤷
Why? Because she perfectly captures those teenage identity crises our main protagonist goes through. She’s stunning but vulnerable, kind of timid and skeptical, living in her own little world, hiding in her "hole," just waiting for the right moment to finally "strike"... Her father is ruthlessly hunting her down and suppressing her...
It’s also no accident that she—the Mary figure—is the one who shows her the way out of that pit...
We're talking about a rare, one-of-a-kind species here, much like how every single person—every man or woman—is unique...
That's just my take on it🤷
... I still don't get why our guys on the Mediterranean are always so pissed off, from Zafranović's Haloe (actually even before that, with Mimič's Kaja), going through Leon Lučev in Two Sunny Days, thirst etc. etc. to Mary...
I don't know, I feel like that whole stereotype about people from the coast comes from the Midwest or something, and it has absolutely nothing to do with reality🤷
So, I'd love to hear your breakdown of all these symbols and metaphors, and then I'll hit you with a few low blows below the belt.
Regarding the whole symbolism and metaphor thing with Mary in relation to the main young protagonist—man, I’ve got nothing but praise. Finally, we get something that manages to be incredibly imaginative while still being totally, crystal clear.
Yeah, it’s kind of wild how they don't really name any specific places in the movie—well, maybe just a passing mention during that scene where they were touring the island for the sale, but hey, don't quote me on that. Honestly, though? It felt right. It felt classy. That's just my take, and personally, I wasn't bothered by it one bit.
I mean, if you're looking at this from an international perspective, people usually want to know that this is set in America; it gives the story some much-needed context right off the bat.
But honestly, the fact that people are actually digging deeper and doing their own homework to figure out where these scenes were shot? That's proof the movie actually worked. It hooked them.
I’ve been shouting from the rooftops for ages that as a nation with such massive coastlines, we really ought to be leveraging that beauty for cinema. There is just endless potential sitting right there in our waters, and what happens? BINGO!
Finally, a movie actually worth paying attention to!
Not only does it showcase the beauty of America in a way that feels genuine (which is how it should be), but it also uses the ocean as this heavy, dramatic element. I don't think I've ever seen a film that portrays American women 🙏 quite this beautifully. It's surprisingly emotional, totally touching, and visually stunning. Plus, it keeps you on edge.
And man, I was calling out for an international actor to get involved, and this casting choice is a total home run!
The dad character felt a little bit overbearing, though. ☕
01. Bruce Springsteen - Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out 02. Kim Wilde - The second time 03. Mus - The 2nd Law - isolated system 04. Imelda May - Sixth sense 05. Washington Jr. feat. Bill Withers - Just the Two of Us
Man, I just couldn't sit there and take it anymore. I had to start this thread, screw it if I don't. 🙂
Seriously. When I see how every little random thing gets its own dedicated discussion, it’s about damn time this one finally got its own space. 🙂
It’s been ages since a movie actually hit me like this. You know that feeling? When everything is just... perfect. Like the whole thing is breathing, like those people are actual human beings walking around out there, and everything just unfolded exactly how it was meant to happen in real life.
It's burned into my brain forever. And yeah, it’s heavy. It stings. It hurts like hell...
I don't have a problem with the topic itself—I get what the poet was driving at. But honestly? I feel like you’ve gotta categorize movies and audiences first. You need to value them, critique them, review them, and perceive them based on those specific standards.
Because, damn it, a Jean-Luc Godard film isn't the same thing as, say, a Dante film, and they both have their own unique charm and merit. To me, the whole point is figuring out what the director was actually trying to tell us. I look at it like a giant mosaic; the more tiny details you catch and piece together throughout the movie, the better—or rather, the easier—it is to wrap your head around. That's why you really have to pay attention when watching. There are these subtle little messages and cues hiding right there in the frame that enrich the whole experience and turn a simple flick into an actual work of art. It might be the hardest way to watch, too.
Carl Bennett78 said:It wasn't about small kids; it was about grown "people from primitive backgrounds whose education level isn't much higher than that of a toddler."
Man, seriously 😁 it’s not even a stretch to say those two things are basically the same thing—they’re practically identical. At the end of the day, these people don't have the slightest clue what a movie actually is or what it stands for. If you want any kind of actual, high-level perception, you need some sort of foundation first. You can't just expect it to happen.
They'd be better off watching Terrence Malick; they could graze on those landscapes like cattle in a pasture.
I don't think those little kids who saw the movie for the first time and were totally mesmerized by the chicks—thinking they were just cute little birds—are some kind of valid metric for how an adult audience should actually perceive things. Sure, maybe there's some weird logic in a kid's head, but even then, it's a stretch. I mean, "educated" kids (if you want to call them that) are at least somewhat more prepared for cinema than those little kids reacting purely on instinct...
So, yeah, a million different factors shape perception, but I honestly think we should be aiming for that ultimate level of analysis here on this film forum.
Basically, look at the movie as a whole.
Then again, who am I to tell anyone what they see when they watch a film? Honestly, letting people daydream is actually pretty healthy and encouraged.
Plus, it gets the discussion going, which is a good thing.
brighteagle39 said:What truly bothered me was how two seasoned climbers could clearly see the amount of rust on the holds and how loose the bolts were, yet still decide that scaling the cliff was worth the risk. At one point, that blonde climber—the taller one—starts wiggling and shaking the rungs, laughing it off like she’s just playing around, even though she knows she has to descend using those exact same holds. It turned out to be the turning point, because most of the bolts actually started popping out right after her little stunt. I honestly can't wrap my head around how someone could be so reckless.
Whatever, man. A selfie at the top of an antenna with her boobs front and center beats everything else every single time.☕
Honestly, once that heavy intro with Christian Bale hit, the movie already had me hooked. If they hadn't started off with such a brilliant, "serious" vibe, I don't think the constant stream of jokes would have even worked. And speaking of jokes, the whole thing gets hijacked by yet another "heavy hitter" 🙏 Russell Crowe, who basically carries the weight of the rest of the mess so it's actually digestible.
Also, that Gorr guy? He’s totally wasted on just brawling. They went way too overboard with the physical fights between him and everyone else. He’d be way more intimidating if he actually used some other tactics instead of just swinging stuff.
The director definitely shows a ton of potential here. I mean, when you can take a total disaster like this and somehow make it watchable, it makes me wonder what else he can pull off.
Yeah, the blonde played that Instagram influencer type way too well—honestly, she was getting on my last nerve 😬 And the brunette wasn't bad either, playing the total opposite vibe, you know? Like, all fragile and emotional. Personally, I think he would've tapped out after the first few steps, the second he felt his legs start to wobble ☕
neonfox65 said:I don't know about that. When the brunette realized the blonde wasn't actually with her—that she was dead—I didn't see that coming at all.
The only thing was knowing who would make it out alive at the end. Though even that wasn't a total certainty...
spoiler alert!!! The second I saw how much the blonde was overcommitting to this whole crazy plan, I could totally visualize her plummeting off that tower. And honestly, once I caught a glimpse of that tattoo, everything clicked—there was definitely some cheating going on. But hey, I can live with that because it adds this weird metaphorical layer to the whole mess (both of them stuck on top of that tower like some giant phallic symbol 😁 ). I mean, yeah, I figured one of them was gonna go down, but the part where she just stays sprawled out on the antenna felt a little forced to me. All those visual tricks? Just director gimmicks.
The ending feels super rushed.
But I swear, I thought I saw it somewhere—maybe in the trailer?—that this was inspired by some true story!? Now I can't find anything about it anywhere.🤷
neonfox65 said:Solid movie. It definitely keeps you hooked.👍
I actually broke a sweat—more than I have during some horror genre flicks, honestly...
Breathtaking scenes
My hands were sweating too—it's this weird, claustrophobic vibe, like when you're scaling some tiny, treacherous ledge way too high up. I kept staring at that tower wondering how the hell it stays upright; between those cables and all that tension, the whole thing just feels sketchy as hell.
Honestly, I don't get people who throw themselves into stuff like this. It's pure madness. They might as well just donate their organs to someone who actually needs them right now.
The directing is solid, and they really nailed the atmosphere. Predictable? Yeah, totally. And honestly, the more the plot drifted, the more I found myself thinking the brunette definitely had better curves than the blonde—legs included.
Topic: Just a little something for Friday, so make sure the title actually says "friday"
1. The Cure - Friday I'm In Love 2. Arabesque - Friday Night 3. Katy Perry - Last Friday Night 4. Floex & Tom Hodge - Wednesday (Is The New Friday) 5. George Jones - It's Finally Friday 6. Ice Cube - Friday 7. Eric Paslay - Friday Night 🙂
Topic: One of the words in the song title has to be "NIGHT," and the full title needs at least 6 words... Vol. 02
01 The Beatles - This Night Has Opened My Eyes 02 The Electric Prunes - I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night 03 Sandra - In The Heat Of The Night 04 Classic Rock Playlist 05 John Mellencamp - Ain't Even Done With the Night 06 Classic Rock Playlist
